Louisiana Deer Season 2026-27: Dates for All 10 Deer Areas

Seasons by deer area

Louisiana sets deer dates for 10 areas. Areas with the same calendar are grouped below. All days are either-sex unless marked bucks only.

Areas 1 and 4

Area 2

Areas 3, 7 and 8

Areas 5 and 9

Area 6

Area 10

Dates are for private land. WMAs, Kisatchie National Forest and other federal lands have their own schedules.

CWD zone archery and physically challenged season

The CWD zone archery seasons are new for 2026-27 and open only inside the CWD Management Zone in Areas 1, 2 and 6, for antlered bucks with or without velvet. Area 2 opens first, Aug. 29, 2026. The physically challenged season, Oct. 3, 2026 to Oct. 4, 2026, requires a Physically Challenged Hunter Permit.

Areas 5 and 9: either-sex and bucks only days

These two areas, the Atchafalaya Basin between the protection levees and the southeast parishes, alternate either-sex and bucks only days during the firearm seasons:

• Either-sex: Nov. 14 to 20 (primitive), Nov. 21 to 22 and Nov. 27 to 29 (still hunt), Dec. 12 to 13 and Dec. 19 to 20 (dogs allowed).
• Bucks only: Nov. 23 to 26 and Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 (still hunt), Dec. 14 to 18 and Dec. 21 to Jan. 24 (dogs allowed), Jan. 25 to 31 (primitive).
• Archery is bucks only Oct. 1 to 15, then either-sex to Feb. 15 except while a bucks only season is in progress.

Which deer area are you in?

• Area 1: all of Concordia, East Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Richland, Tensas and West Carroll, plus parts of Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Morehouse, Ouachita and Rapides.
• Area 2: all of Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn, plus parts of several central parishes. Kisatchie National Forest has its own rules.
• Area 4: all of St. Helena and Washington, plus parts of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa.
• Area 5: the Atchafalaya Basin between the West and East Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levees, in parts of St. Martin, Iberville, Iberia and St. Mary.
• Area 6: all of Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana, plus parts of nearby parishes.
• Area 9: all of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John and Terrebonne, plus parts of eight more parishes.
• Area 10: all of Cameron and Vermilion, plus parts of Acadia, Calcasieu, Iberia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette.
• Areas 3, 7 and 8: parts of southwest, central and eastern parishes, divided by highways and rivers.

Boundaries follow roads, rivers and levees, so check the LDWF area descriptions before hunting near a line. Some parishes, or parts of them, are still hunting only.

Bag limits

• Daily limit: one antlered and one antlerless deer, or one antlered deer on bucks only days.
• A legal antlered deer has at least one hardened antler visible through the skin, or velvet antlers 3 inches or longer.
• Deer taken on DMAP property may not count toward the limits, depending on the level of participation.

What changed for 2026-27

• Area 1 season limit set at six, no more than two antlered or five antlerless.
• New archery seasons inside the CWD Management Zone in Areas 1, 2 and 6.
• Bucks with velvet antlers 3 inches or longer now count as legal antlered deer.
• Hunters 65 or older and disabled veteran licensees may use any legal weapon during primitive firearms season.
• Drones may be used to recover a mortally wounded deer.

Tagging and validation

• All deer hunters, regardless of age or license, must get carcass or electronic deer tags before hunting.
• Tag the deer before moving it from the kill site.
• Validate the harvest within 72 hours: text-to-tag, the LDWF web portal or LA Wallet, or 225-267-9998.
• Evidence of sex, such as the head, must stay with the deer until it is tagged and validated or stored at home.

Hunter orange or blaze pink

During open firearm deer seasons, anyone hunting with buckshot, slugs, a primitive firearm or a centerfire firearm must show at least 400 square inches of hunter orange or blaze pink on the head, chest or back. On private land a hunter orange or blaze pink cap or hat is enough. Hunters in elevated stands on private land are exempt but must wear it walking to and from the stand.

Youth and veterans season

Youth 17 and under and resident honorably discharged veterans may hunt private land, either-sex, with archery, primitive or modern firearms. Youth need hunter safety certification and must be with an adult 18 or older, who may not carry a firearm. Veterans must carry proof of honorable discharge.

Hours, dogs and CWD

• Shooting hours: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
• Dogs may be used only in the "with or without dogs" seasons. Area 10 has no dog season.
• Baiting and feeding are restricted in the CWD Management Zone, except as allowed Sept. 1 to March 31 under the zone rules.
• Deer carcasses and parts may not leave the CWD Management Zone, except deboned meat, antlers, clean skulls, capes, hides and finished mounts.

Frequently asked questions

When does deer season open in Louisiana?

Archery opens Sept. 19, 2026 in Areas 3, 7, 8 and 10, and Oct. 1 in the other areas. Modern firearms open Oct. 17, 2026 in Areas 3, 7, 8 and 10, Oct. 31, 2026 in Area 2 and Nov. 21, 2026 in Areas 1, 4, 5, 6 and 9.

When does Louisiana deer season end?

Archery runs until Feb. 15, 2027 in Areas 5, 6 and 9, the latest in the state. Areas 3, 7, 8 and 10 close with archery on Jan. 15, and Areas 1, 2 and 4 on Jan. 31.

How many deer can you kill in Louisiana?

Six a season, no more than three antlered or four antlerless, in most areas. Area 1 allows six with no more than two antlered or five antlerless, Area 4 allows four and Area 10 allows three. The daily limit is one antlered and one antlerless deer.

What are bucks only days in Louisiana?

Days when only legal antlered deer may be taken. In Areas 5 and 9, the firearm and primitive seasons alternate between either-sex and bucks only days, and archery hunters must follow the bucks only rule on those days.

How long do you have to tag a deer in Louisiana?

Tag the deer before moving it, and validate the harvest within 72 hours by text-to-tag, the LDWF web portal or LA Wallet, or by calling 225-267-9998.

When is the Louisiana youth deer season?

On private land: Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 in Areas 3, 7, 8 and 10, Oct. 10 to 16 in Area 2, and Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 in Areas 1, 4, 5, 6 and 9. Honorably discharged resident veterans hunt the same days.

Deer season in other states

Texas · Pennsylvania · Michigan · Wisconsin · Ohio · Georgia · New York · Missouri · Minnesota · Indiana · Virginia · North Carolina · Kentucky · Tennessee · Alabama · Arkansas · Mississippi. Compare every state on the deer season dates by state page.

Duck seasons are on the Louisiana duck season page.

Always check the LDWF area boundaries and the WMA or federal land schedule where you hunt.